无论前方是地雷阵还是万丈深渊的地道英语口语

　　1. fight to the bitter end 历尽艰难、苦斗到最后关头

　　Bitter end有一种特殊的意思。船员把船尾系锚绳的柱子叫bitt，系在这柱子上的锚绳的止境称为bitter end。所以地道英语口语to the bitter end就是到了尽头，再没有多余的绳索了。

　　例句-1：Mrs Brown fought to the bitter end to keep her house, the only one left after the developers tore down all the others. But after five years she gave up and took the money。

　　布朗太太为了自己的屋子可真有斗争到底的精神，开发商把四处所有的房子都拆光了，她还不动摇。但是她苦熬了五年之后，不得不改变初衷，接受拆迁费，搬家了。

　　切实这个地道英语口语习惯用语正恰到利益地描绘出二次大战期间良多美国人为制止美国参战而作的那种努力。咱们再看个例子。

　　例句-2：A lot of Americans fought to the bitter end to keep the country from getting into World War Two. But after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, America had no choice but to go to war。

　　很多美国人为了阻挡本国卷入二次大战坚韧不拔地奋斗到最后关头。然而在日本袭击珍珠港之后，美国就再也不决定余地，而只能走上战场。

　　2. knock-down drag-out fight 殊去世搏斗;激烈的论战

　　Knock-down意思是击倒，而drag-out能够阐明为拖出来。听了这个习惯用语你很可能会联想到美国西部电影里大打出手的局势。在十九世纪二十年代的美国西部这种竖着进来、横着出去的殊死搏斗确实是常有的事儿。下面这个例子说的就是回忆当年西部牛仔生活的片子。

　　例句-3：Every cowboy movie I've seen has had a knock-down drag-out fight. It's usually in a bar with everybody jumping in, knocking each other down and breaking up the furniture。

　　我看过的每一部牛仔片总有一场殊逝世格斗。这通常发生在酒吧。一夥人冲进来挥拳斗殴、击倒对方，还把家俱砸个稀巴烂。

　　然而这个习惯用语并不仅用在诉诸武力的搏斗。它也可能用来指争辩激烈的舌战。例如在下面这段话里。它说的是总统的估算打算在国会引起的反应。

　　例句-4：The battle to pass the President's budget plan through Congress turned out to be a real knock-down drag-out fight, with loud arguments, hot tempers and a very close final vote。

　　原来总统的估算计划在国会通过的时候引起了剧烈万分的论战。加入者情感谢愤地大声辩论，表决的票数也十分濒临。

　　3. can't fight one's way out of a paper bag 软弱无力

　　Paper bag是纸做的口袋，是一撕就破的东西。如果谁连个纸袋也无奈解脱的话，那他简直就像小虫子个别懦弱无力 了。当然can't fight one's way out of a paper bag这个习习用语是用作比喻的。

　　我们来看个地道英语口语例子，说的是Larry聘请律师控告他的上司种族鄙弃。

　　例句-5：Larry has almost no chance to win his case, I'm afraid. The company lawyer is shrewd and very tough. And the young lawyer Larry hired looks like he can't fight his way out of a paper bag。

　　恐怕Larry几乎不机会打赢他的官司。公司的律师非常精明强干，而Larry聘任的年轻律师却显得如此脆弱无力。

　　我们再来看个例子。它说的是一场拳击赛。一般人都认为这是一场令人永恒难忘的竞赛，但是谈话的人却看法不同。咱们来听听他的见解。

　　地道英语口语例句-6：They said this match will be the fight to remember for a long time. I don't think so! Smith is quick on his feet but he can't punch hard. In fact I don't think he can fight his way out of a paper bag!

　　别人声称这是一场令人难忘的比赛，我却觉得没什么了不起。Smith诚然腿脚灵活，但是他出拳不重。我以为他简直是软弱无力。